SLJ staff

We Need Diverse Books will celebrate the first We Need Diverse Books Day on April 3; senators call on acting director of IMLS to continue funding programs as directed by Congress; Suzanne Collins talks philosophy and Sunrise on the Reaping; Eric Carle Honors honorees announced; and more.

Courts are dominating library censorship news with a federal judge temporarily blocking the Iowa book ban law, a Colorado district defying court orders to return books to shelves, and two lawsuits filed against a Minnesota school district.

The judge ruled in favor of the ACLU of Colorado, which brought the lawsuit on behalf of two students in the Elizabeth School District; Texas bill that gives school boards authority over school library book selection passed the state senate; Oregon high school removed Flamer by Mike Curato after a student complaint.

The elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services would be a devastating blow to public and school library services across the country. ALA and EveryLibrary call on Congress and the American people to fight for the funding.

The Missouri Secretary of State has launched an investigation into OverDrive and stopped funding for the platform; Utah bans a 17th book from all public schools; a Virginia district removed seven books from the shelves; and in South Dakota, a bill to criminalize librarians was amended with an appeal process on "obscene" materials.

Readers weigh in on Arkansas legislator “Book Ban Dan.”

Rochester (MN) Pride cited unspecified safety concerns for canceling the visit by The Rainbow Parade author Emily Neilson; federal judge says lawsuit over removal of school library books in Florida can continue; districts in South Carolina and Texas keep The Hunger Games and Bathe the Cat on the shelves, respectively, while a Pennsylvania high school removes three LGBTQIA+ graphic novels.

With expertise, empathy, and innovation, librarians have supported students and patrons through COVID-19.

SLJ asked librarians, authors, and illustrators to reflect on their pandemic experience: the impact on them, their students, and readers; the innovations that stuck; the memories that linger; and the lessons we learned.